Tie rod with locking system at the ends

Abstract

A tie rod comprising locking elements to lock the tie rod to respective end supports ( 60,60 ′), the locking elements comprising, at each end support, two pairs of spacers ( 42, 43, 42′, 43′ ), each pair having surfaces joined to each other in the shape of an annular portion of a spherical cap, and at least two tightening nuts ( 41 ); wherein, at each end support, there are provided, symmetrically with respect to the support, two pairs of spacers, wherein the pair of joined surfaces of the first pair of spacers ( 42,43 ) has a radius equal to the radius of the pair of joined surfaces of the second pair of spacers ( 42′, 43′ ), said pairs of joined surfaces being arranged on different spherical surfaces, and wherein the two tightening nuts ( 41 ) are tightened externally on the first pair of spacers ( 42,43 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tie rod comprising locking elements to lock ends of the tie rod to respective end supports, the tie rod being able to cross said end supports,
 wherein said locking elements comprise, at each end support, two pairs of spacers, each pair of spacers having surfaces joined to each other substantially in the shape of an annular portion of a spherical cap, and at least two tightening nuts, 
 wherein, at each end support, there are provided in a configuration of the tie rod with fixed ends
 a first pair of spacers arranged at an external side of the end support, 
 a second pair of spacers arranged at an internal side of the end support, 
 wherein said first pair of spacers and said second pair of spacers are arranged symmetrically with respect to the end support, 
 wherein the pair of joined surfaces of the first pair of spacers has a radius equal to a radius of the pair of joined surfaces of the second pair of spacers, said pairs of joined surfaces being arranged on different spherical surfaces, 
 and wherein said at least two tightening nuts are tightened externally on said first pair of spacers. 
 
 
     
     
       2. A tie rod according to  claim 1 , wherein said locking elements comprise a pair of further spacers which, in the configuration of the tie rod with fixed ends, is provided at least at a first end support; a first further spacer being arranged between a pair of spacers and the respective side of said first end support and a second further spacer being arranged between the other pair of spacers and the respective side of said first end support. 
     
     
       3. A tie rod according to  claim 2 , wherein at said first end support there is provided a further tightening nut tightened on the pair of spacers arranged internally with respect to the first end support. 
     
     
       4. A tie rod according to  claim 3 , wherein said further tightening nut is configured to be, in the configuration of the tie rod with fixed ends, longer than the length of a useful part of thread of an intermediate threaded portion of the tie rod, said useful part of thread being protruding from the pair of spacers arranged internally with respect to the first end support. 
     
     
       5. A tie rod according to  claim 4 , comprising a longitudinal bar, provided with threaded ends on which said at least two tightening nuts are tightened, said bar comprising a central portion, delimited on one side by a shoulder and on the other side by said intermediate threaded portion, and two lateral portions; the first lateral portion being arranged between a first threaded end and the shoulder, the second lateral portion being arranged between the second threaded end and said intermediate threaded portion. 
     
     
       6. A tie rod according to  claim 5 , wherein the first lateral portion has a smaller diameter with respect to the diameter of the adjacent threaded end and the second lateral portion has a smaller diameter with respect to the diameter of the adjacent threaded end and the adjacent intermediate threaded portion. 
     
     
       7. A tie rod according to  claim 1 , comprising a longitudinal bar, provided with threaded ends on which said at least two tightening nuts are tightened, said bar comprising a central portion, delimited by two shoulders, and two lateral portions, each lateral portion being arranged between a threaded end and the corresponding shoulder. 
     
     
       8. A tie rod according to  claim 7 , wherein each lateral portion has a smaller diameter with respect to the diameter of the adjacent threaded end. 
     
     
       9. A suspension system connecting a first element to a second element, comprising a plurality of tie rods according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       10. A tilting converter comprising a suspension system according to  claim 9 , wherein said first element is a container of the converter and said second element is a support ring of said container, wherein said tie rods are restrained at a first end to the container and at a second end to the support ring, and wherein the respective two end supports of each tie rod are integrally fixed with respect to the container and the support ring, respectively.